Andy's,(Ryan) stop over in Nimes.

[laficion]

Our friend and FOH member Ryan, tiped me off some weeks ago that he was coming to the south of France

for a marrige in Marseille and that this would be a nice opportunity to meet and enjoy a cigar together.

Well, you know me Right ? EVERY opportunity is good to grab

Andy is a great person because what he did was, he came to Nimes from Marseille for the evening

and then , drove back to Nice to pick up his flight back to Dublin.From Nimes, that's a 3 & 1/2 drive.

We met at the hotel in the center of the city, sat down at the hotel's outside café and had a few beers and

fired up some cigars from the 98 vintage . I handed Andy a 898 varnished and I chose

a RG lonsdale from his travel humi , both were from 98 without knowing before hand, how's that ??

We met up with some locals from our cigar club, Jean-Paul & Hervé, at Jean-Paul's wine shop where a bottle

of Pic St. Loup was waiting to leave with Andy. Andy gifted me with a great and rare bottle of "Green Spot" Irish Whiskey.

Then, off we went to Bernard's house to enjoy a meal prepared by our host , Bernard is not only

a fantastic wine buff but also a very good cook, well, at least when his wife is not there

We were 9 with, Jean-Paul, Hervé, Slyvain, George, Olivier,Bernard,

Monique, (My, get back home before 3am wife controler) and Andy & I.

We spent a great evening talking about everything, wines & cigars, and a lot of translating and cigar smoking

I'm sure that Andy tasted some small batch wines that he didn't even know existed in the Languedoc region and

Chateauneuf du Pape. .

We ended the evening around 1.30am with some great Havana Club rum and a smoke.

Andy was back at the hotel before 2am so that he could get up at 8am to leave for Nice.

I'd like to thank Andy for coming over to meet us here in Nimes and tell him that,

when he comes back, he will always be part of our crazy cigar & wine family.

Merci l'ami André

[bob25]

Man,looks like you had a great time.

Cigars and good wine,what else do you need ....

Thanks for sharing.

[Colt45]

Great stuff, gents

[PADDYWHACK121272]

Nice work....some serious looking bottles polished off there...

[Ryan]

Guy, what can I say!!

Thank you very much for a fantastic time in Nimes.

My flight was cancelled again yesterday so I just got back about an hour ago. The french like their strikes!

I stayed with friends outside Nice last night so that wasn't so bad. The flights were a bit of a disaster for this trip. My flight over last saturday had a nose wheel deflate after take-off so we had to divert to London. It's disconcerting having a stream of fire engines follow your plane down the runway. Luckily, it didn't take too long to change planes at Stansted.

Then I found out on Monday evening that my flight back yesterday was cancelled due to the strike. My wife managed to get me on the Aer Lingus flight, then I found out while driving from Nimes to Nice yesterday that that flight was also cancelled and they put me on the flight today. Apart from that it was a fantastic time!

Most of the others over for the wedding managed to get the plane from Marseilles yesterday, the only flight that day to take off from France to Ireland.

Nimes is a lovely city, I'm sorry I didn't get to spend more time there. But really the dinner at Bernard's house with Guy and Monique was just great fun. I'm embarassed to have forgotten so much of my french but Guy, Monique were very patient and very kindly spoke english with me.

The food and the wines were incredible, the '64 grenache and the white Chateauneuf du Pape really stood out, though all excellent. I had a very interesting conversation with Guy about cigar smoking, rare cigars we've seen over the years and people we happen to know in common through our hobby. This shared hobby really does make the world a smaller place and better for it. I now have friends in the south of France and Guy will always have a very grateful friend in Dublin.

Monique is as lovely as she is in the pictures. She's a keeper Guy!

I have to mention, Guy gave me a really nice selection of cigars when we met, including one of his 70 year-old Upmanns. It looks and smells fantastic.

What can I say, if anybody is considering a trip to see Guy, go for it. Guy and Monique are fantastic hosts and really know how to live.

And Guy, as I said, come to Ireland. I can't promise as good a night as you showed me but we'd have fun.

Thank you very much again, please thank Bernard for me and love to Monique.

[El Presidente]

Top stuff fellas'

There are few things as special as true camaraderie. It is a beautiful thing.

[cigarros]

Fantastic stuff gents! Congrats!

[Ellery]

Nice, looks like a great time was had

[Guest rob]

If not for cigars and wine.... meet ups like this probably dont happen.

Thats why I thank [insert your favourite deity here] everyday!

[Jimmy2]

Great stuff gents ...

[OZCUBAN]

Great stuff guys looks like a good time was had by all ,money cannot buy good times such as this

Cheers OZ

[maalouly]

Excellent stuff looks like you had awesome time, love the wine.